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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Hinckley Fire 1894, (Pine County) Hinckley, Minnesota

NAMES OF IDENTIFIED DEAD.

The community of Hinckley population grew to about 1400 people by the year of 1894. Men had been fighting fires for about a month that year, between Duluth and Saint Paul. On September 1, 1894 a great fire storm swept through the town of Hinckley catching everyone in town off guard; killing about 317 residents. In total 101 additional people and loved ones lost their lives on that day in surrounding communities; taking the lives of 418 souls in total.

The cause of fire was blamed on the logging industry. In 1894 there was a large scale pine and virgin red removal operation going on in the Hinckley area. The lumbermen were accused of being sloppy; leaving tinder-dry refuse stumps behind. When you add poor lumbering operations to a very dry summerand high winds, it didn't take much for a great fire to erupt.

Interesting Side Note: The above memorial states 418 souls lost their lives on September 1, 1894, but the coroner report states 413. Does anyone know who the additional five people might be? 1. Abbey, Cora—Age 27, wife of Albert Abbey, residence, 1 mile north of
Hinckley; identified by N. Sherman; no valuables found except 1 locket
and a few trinkets; has sister in Langford, S. D.
2. Abbey, Albert—Age 33, married, husband of Cora Abbey, residence 1
mile north of Hinckley; found near his home and identified by N.
Sherman; has father and mother in Michigan.
3. Abbey, Floyd—Age 7, son of Albert and Cora Abbey; found with his parents.
4. Abbey, Lloyd—Age 9, son of Albert and Cora Abbey; found with his parents.
5. Arndt, Miss Mattie—Age 18, single, residence Hinckley, parents live
near Montrose, Minn.; unidentified; nothing found but buttons, etc.;
reported by B. C. Bartlett.6. Anderson, Anthony—Age 62, married; residence, Sandstone.
7. Anderson, Mrs.—Age 58, wife of Anthony Anderson.
8. Anderson, Male, age 6, son of Anthony Anderson.
9. Anderson, Male, age 10, son of Anthony Anderson.
10. Anderson, Male, age 12, son of Anthony Anderson.
11. Anderson, John G.—Age 48, residence Hinckley, husband of Mrs. Emily Anderson; not identified.
12. Anderson, Mrs. Emily—Age 45, wife of J. G. Anderson; not identified.

13. Anderson, Chas. G.—Age 21, son of John G. Anderson, was found 1 mile
north cf Hinckley, identified by C. Yanhoven. H. S. Bartlett, and
others; buried in Hinckley cemetery.

39. Barnes, James—Age 35, single; residence, Pokegama; son of Robert Barnes, Pokegama; identified by his father.

40. Barnes, James—Age 25, single, found on wagon road, 2 miles south of Pokegama; identified by his father, Robert Barnes.

41. Best, John—Age 63; residence, 2 miles south-east of Hinckley; found
on road, 60 rods west of his house; identified by his son Christian;
buried at Hinckley; identified by a jack knife which he carried.

42. Best, Eva—Age 60, married, wife of John Best; found with John Best in the road west of the house; identified by
Christ Best.

44. Best, William—Age 21, single, son of John and Eva Best; not identified.

45. Best, Fred—Age 23, single, son of John and Eva Best; not identified.

46. Best, George—Age 25, single, son of John and Eva Best; not identified.

47. Best, Victor—Age 8, son of John and Eva Best.

48. Bean, James—Age 48, married, wife living in Eau Claire, not identified: perished in swamp north of Hinckley.

49. Burke, John, Sr.—Age 65, father of John Burke, No. 29; residence,
Hinckley, with his son; his body was not identified, supposed to have
gone across the river, north of Hinckley.

50. Blanchard, Mrs.—Age 29, married, wife of John Blanchard, of
Hinckley, body found at St. Paul and Duluth round house; identified by
her husband; buried in Hinckley.

51. Blanchard, Frank—Age 11, found with his mother at round house.

52. Bee, Stephen—Age 16, son of Alex and Hannah Bee; residence, south of Hinckley; could not be identified.

53. Curry, Michael—Age 38, married: residence, 1 mile north of Hinckley;
all of family burned; has brother in Michigan; found three-fourths of a
mile north of his home; identified by N. Sherman and Jos. Tew; buried
at Hinckley.

54. Mrs. Curry—Age 30, wife of M. Curry, found 1 mile north of her home; identified by N. Sherman and Jos. Tew.

55. Curry, Willie—Age 12, son of Mike Curry, found with his mother; identified by his being with his mother.

56. Cain, David—Age 54, married; residence, Rock Creek; was in Hinckley
on visit; found in swamp 1 mile north of Hinckley; buried at Hinckley.

57. Cain, Mrs.—Age 50, wife of David Cain, found with husband in swamp north of Hinckley.

58. Chambers, Louis—Age 24, married, came from Illinois to Hinckley;
found on Section 12, Town of Hinckley; identified by N. Sherman, by his
personal appearance, and knife and buttons.

60. Corbett, Thos—Age 57; residence, Hinckley; burned in the woods north-east of Hinckley, near Kettle River.
Served in the Union Army. Was directly involved in chasing down Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln. Corbett shot Booth hiding out in a barn.

61. Costigan, William—Age 50; residence, Hinckley; not identified ;
supposed to have perished in swamp one-half mile north of Hinckley.

62. Costigan, Mrs. Effie-—Age 41, wife of William Costigan.

63. Costigan, Miss Effie—Age 15, daughter of William Costigan.

64. Costigan, Irma—Age 15, daughter of William Costigan.

65. Costigan, Myrtle—Age 10, daughter of William Costigan.

66. Costigan, Jennie—Age 7, daughter of William Costigan.

67. Costigan, William—Age 5, son of William Costigan.

68. Costigan, Hazel—Age 2, daughter of William Costigan.

69. Conniker, Jas.—Age 50, single; residence, Hinckley; has sister living in Pine City; was not found.

70. Donahue, Ellen—Age 37, married; residence, Hinckley; found in swamp
one-half mile north of Hinckley; husband lives in Hinckley; she was
identified by him, and buried in Hinckley.

72. Donahue, Katie—Age 10, daughter of Dan Donahue, found in swamp with her mother; identified by Dan Donahue.

73. Donahue, Mary—Age 12, daughter of Dan Donahue; found with her mother.

74. Dunn, Thomas—Age 25; residence, Hinckley; son of Michael Dunn, of
Hinckley: was recognized by appearance and jewelry; was buried at Pine
City. Thomas Dunn served as the Depot Agent in Hinckley. His last message read, "I think I've stayed too long."

199. Raymond, Edward—Age 10, son of Thos. Raymond; found one-half mile north-east of village; buried with his parents.

200. Raymond, Age 2, daughter of Thos. Raymond.

201. Raymond, Age 6, son of Thos. Raymond.

202. Ricketson, E.—Age 71, father of William Ricketson; residence,
Hinckley; found in Hinckley; buried in Hinckley; came from Minneapolis.

203. Riley, Dennis—Age 40; residence, Hinckley; found north of his home,
between the two tracks; identified by L. S. Miller and Conductor
Sargent; address of friends, J. McNamara, Rutledge; had $2,000 insurance
in Oskosh Accident; has 1 boy left.

204. Riley, Mrs. Winifred—Age 35, wife of Dennis Riley; supposed to have been burned in swamp, one-half mile north of Hinckley.

205. Riley, Thos.—Age 15, son of Dennis Riley; not identified.

206. Riley, Age 5, daughter of Dennis Riley; not identified; supposed to have burned with her mother; buried in Hinckley. .

207. Rodgers, John—Age 39, married; residence, Hinckley; born in Canada:
found in Hinckley, near railroad track; identified by W. DeLong.

208. Rodgers, Mrs. R.—Age 26, wife of John Rodgers; found near her
husband; identified by being near husband; buried with rest of family in
Hinckley.

209. Rodgers, Mary—Age 4, daughter of John Rodgers; found with mother.

210. Rodgers, Minnie—Age 2, daughter of John Rodgers; found with parents.

211. Rodgers, Age 7 days, son of John Rodgers.

212. Rowley, Otto—Age 43, found near Skunk Lake; identified, and taken to Duluth.

213. Robinson, John—Age 44; (no further information.)

214. Robinson, Mrs—Age 40, wife of John Robinson.

215. Robinson, Age 13, son of John Robinson.

216. Robinson, Age n, son of John Robinson.

217. Robinson, Age 9, son of John Robinson.

2I&. Reynolds, L.—Age 54, married; residence, Hinckley; born in
Maine; not identified; burned in swamp, one-half mile north of Hinckley.

219. Reynolds, Mrs.—Age 40, wife of L. Reynolds, burned on a wagon with rest of family; not identified.

220. Reynolds, Age 9, daughter of L. Reynolds; not identified; burned in swamp north of Hinckley.

323. Unknown—Male; age about 40; found on country road, 1 mile from
Hinckley; burned beyond recognition; nothing but shoes left on his body;
weight about 150.

324. Unknown—Male; age about 40; weight about 140; height, 5.08; had on
striped woolen shirt; silver watch and chain, with bull's head engraved
on case; body found in swamp, one-half mile north of Hinckley.

325. Unknown—Male; found in mill yard; only bones and a few buttons left; buried in Hinckley.

326. Unknown—Male; age about 35; found near Skunk Lake; evidently a
passenger from the train; nothing left on body but a pair of shoes;
buried in Hinckley; reported by E. Stephan, C. Vanboven and J. G.
Howard.

327. Unknown—Male; found in lumber yard; only jack knife, watch and buttons left; not enough found to be buried.

328. Unknown—Found in engine room of saw mill in Hinckley; only a few bones.

329. Unknown—Female; age about 25; found in swamp, one-half mile north of Hinckley.

330. Unknown—Female; age about 20; dark hair; gold breast pin; nothing further known; found on top of Hinckley hill.

331. Unknown—Male; age about 38; found in swamp, one-half mile north of Hinckley; nothing to identify him.